This Moment
by liniegrint
Summary: May become PG-13 in later chapters so be far warned. Read and Review!
1. Chapter One

Chapter One:  
  
"You don't know what you want..."  
  
"And that class is how you make the Len Heart Potions." Snape replied motioning to Neville Longbottom who was up in the front demonstrating the potion. "Now put your potions in a vial, name on it, and return it to me at my desk." Snape said turning to his desk to fill out a grade book from to mark grades. Everyone started marking and filling vials in their correct places in the selves made for each student.  
"...and then the Cannons shot another goal..." Ron explained from one corner of the room to Harry Potter and Seamus Finnegan while they finished up cleaning their work area while Hermione and Ginny worked on helping clear the tables out of the way so Snape could set up for his next class period.  
"Is that all they will talk about? It makes me want to scream!" Ginny laughed as she and Hermione walked down the hallway to the library after Potions to do their essay for Transfiguration.  
"I know what you mean, but Ron was so happy that the Cannons actually pulled out a game for once in their lives, it does help that Oliver was chosen for Keeper." Hermione said as they started to pull books and walked to a table to put them down.  
"That was excellent timing too, they were about to start the season when he was signed." Ginny said as she pulled out all of her quills and parchment.  
"True, maybe they can win the Cup this year." Hermione said staring on her essay. The women continued to talk when the men finally filed in to the library talking loudly and ushered themselves to the table that Hermione and Ginny occupied.  
"Can we share this table with you?" Harry asked setting his bag on the table. Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and nearly laughed, they knew that Harry and Ron would both weasel there way over here to get help on their essays.  
"Of course you can, you know that." Hermione said making room for both and some extras. Neville Longbottom brushed past Seamus and Dean to set his bag down and work his way back for books.  
"Neville is going to help with the essay, I still don't understand it all, and McGonagall has gone mad." Seamus said as he slumped into a chair next to Ginny.  
"I know it was a hard topic but you know she has her reasons for giving us these things." Hermione said pulling open a book and flipping the pages.  
"No she doesn't. She gives it to us so we have no time for anything else." Ron answered popping a piece of chocolate into his mouth. "You all know it to be true, don't deny it. All the teachers have been doing it for at least three weeks now, they all seem to have something else on their minds and it takes so much time they don't teach us and instead they are giving us homework." He finished.  
"That is not true. And if it was, how would you know?" Hermione asked.  
"Because you have seen them. I mean they barely pay any attention to any of us anymore." Ron answered, most agreeing with him. "Don't say you haven't seen it Hermione. McGonagall didn't get on to Crabbe or Goyle when they nearly blew up the classroom and she left every ten minutes to 'check on something'." Ron said.  
"I know but maybe there is a reason, one we shouldn't be putting our noses in." Ginny piped up. Harry looked at her and nodded his head in agreement.  
"You know what happens when we do." Harry said. Everyone laughed and Ron looked at him. "We always end up getting into trouble, most that we don't need in the first place." Hermione said pointing her quill at Harry and Ron. "You being the leaders of it." Luna Lovegood shot in when she walked by.  
"Of course we are, who otherwise?" Ron said standing.  
"Sit down King." Harry laughed throwing some paper at him. Ron sat and looked over at Luna who had gone to sit with the Ravenclaws.  
"I still think we should at least look into it, not do anything big like the last five years but maybe find out what is going on and I think it has something to do with Draco Malfoy." Ron said.  
"And why would you think that all of a sudden?" Hermione asked knowingly.  
"He hasn't been here, I mean even he of all people would be here when school started and do not pretend I was the only one to notice his absence." Ron said and everyone nodded.  
"We all noticed you know we did. But I still think we should leave it alone. If it was that important you know Dumbledore would have told Harry who would have told all of us by now, you know it to be true." Hermione said quoting Ron's own words.  
"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you." He said going back to his essay.  
  
"He suspects you know." Blaise said to Draco later that evening.  
"Who? Potter? Nothing new you know that." Pansy put in from across the room.  
"No this time it is Weasley and Granger is far more advanced than him and will figure it out in no time. You know Dumbledore will not keep it from Potter for long." Blaise said picking up Pansy's dagger.  
"Put that down and both of you need to quit your worrying. He won't find out and I will make sure she doesn't." Draco said.  
"How will you do that? None of them know you are here, you are supposed to be 'gone', I have no idea why, because you will not tell me, or anyone for that matter." Blaise put in.  
"You don't need to know." Draco said, walking to the portrait hole. "Besides. You have your mind on—"  
"Don't say it. I know." Blaise said putting up a hand.  
"Potter won't take kindly." Draco said. "You know it too, he will find out. You need to stop your feelings, they will take you nowhere."  
"I know, I will in time." He replied walking past him out the portrait.  
"What are you talking about?" Pansy asked, picking up her blade and placing it in its holder at her side.  
"You will find out, so why tell?" Draco told her walking out the portrait Blaise had moments ago.  
"Men. Think they know everything." Pansy smarted, braiding her waist length hair.  
  
Hermione made her way to the Great Hall later that evening to feed the house elves that lived in the kitchens. She moved quietly so that Harry, Ron or Neville would not wake from the library where they slept supposedly doing their essays for the next day, they would have a great surprise when they tried to leave later. She walked farther, closer to the kitchens when she heard a noise behind her, she kept walking making sure that whoever it was didn't know that she knew they were behind her.  
"Shouldn't be walking all alone in the dark my dear." Hermione said to the person behind her.  
"How—well I shouldn't be surprised that you heard me." Draco said as he sped up to her.  
"I heard you behind me a while ago." Hermione said facing him. He was a head taller than her, built well in the shoulders and it also seemed that he didn't know the word 'haircut' all that well.  
"How did you hear me?" Draco asked walking up and taking her wrist, mostly because she was walking so fast and he had also wanted to touch her, even if it was her wrist.  
"You're very loud when you breathe even when you are trying to sneak up on someone who isn't paying any attention what so ever." Hermione said turning back around, taking her wrist away from his grasp and making her way to the kitchens.  
"Where are you going?" Draco asked. He knew what it was but it was the only way he could keep conversation with her and follow her at the same time.  
"You of all should know, I do not like the idea of you just keeping conversation with me. Was there are reason you followed me out of the Slytherin Common Room?" Hermione asked, finally stopping laying a hand on his chest to stop him.  
"How did you know I left the Common Room, what if I had left the Great Hall?" Draco asked as he took her hand and matching her fingers to his.  
"I saw you, once again you are not very clever in the art of sneaking." Hermione said as he took the ring from her left ring finger off and held it in the dim light.  
"Married Granger?" Draco asked as he looked at the little diamond on a silver band. "Quite expensive if you ask me." He finished as he put it back on her.  
"I do not think that is any of your business but no I am not married, you think I am that desperate...or stupid?" Hermione asked.  
"Desperate no. Stupid—"Draco started.  
"Please I am in no mood to hear one of your supposedly witty remarks Malfoy." Hermione said holding up one small, pale hand. "You can go now." Turning she started walking again but Draco's arm came around her waist pulling her to him.  
"What if I want to come with you?" Draco asked. She looked at him giving him one of her looks, she stepped back, straightening her skirt and then she—laughed? "What is so funny may I ask?" Covering her face with one hand Hermione finished laughing and looked at him.  
"You want to come with ME? You of all people I would say would rather laugh at someone than go with them." Hermione said taking his hand and looking at the palm.  
"What are you doing?" Draco asked. Hermione continued to trail her fingertips along his palm as if she were reading.  
"I am looking at your lines. Strong lines." Hermione said then as suddenly as she had taken his hand she dropped it and turned to walk away.  
"You never answered my question." Draco said as he tried to catch up with her.  
"What one was that?" Hermione asked as she turned to face him, her long brown hair coming up to rest on her shoulder as she looked at him with intense dark eyes.  
"Can I come with?" Draco asked, he knew that she knew EXACTLY what he was talking about but was not about to say it aloud yet alone to him.  
"If you answer one question." Hermione said as she took a flower from her skirt pocket. She laid it in his palm and she closed his fingers around it. "What is the secret to your life?"  
"What? What are you talking about?" Draco asked. She shook her head and turned.  
"Until you can answer that, I think you shouldn't come with me." She answered and walked away into the dark leaving him to contemplate her strange question. 'What is the secret to your life?' what in the hell did she mean by it and how in the hell would he answer a question like that.  
  
The Great Hall was very quiet at night when no one was in it, no decorations, no magic going on in this place at night. It was quiet and still almost like in a dream. Neville walked to an empty table and sat with his flashlight, one that Hermione Granger had given him for Christmas when he was learning how to become a better potions maker, and his textbook and began his homework for Potions, and essay on dragon's blood, due in two weeks but wiser to get started and be nearly finished than do it the Ronald Weasley way and wait till the last minute and try to slam something together. He worked for a few hours but stopped when he could barely keep his eyes open, shutting the book he stood but then he heard a slight noise coming from a corner of the hall. Moving from the table he made his way to the source of the noise and turned when he heard it behind him.  
"Don't move." Someone said and he felt something press into his back. He decided that it would be wiser to turn and see who this person was. Neville made a quick turn grabbing his/her's wrist and he felt the blade hit his cheek and then the blade hitting the ground, then he felt a boot, a female boot, connect with his jaw before he went sprawling.  
"Pansy Parkinson?" Neville moaned as he got up slowly, said woman holding the blade to his shoulder.  
"Who are you?" She said trying to get a look at him in the light, the little that there was in the room.  
"Neville Longbottom. Only trying to do my homework when you made your soft but obvious noise over here in the corner." He said as she helped him stand.  
"I apologise for hurting you, I am usually the only one here late at night." She explained, she turned to face him and gave a grim look. "I cut you. I didn't mean too." She put her hand to his cheek and rubbed the blood that dribbled down it with her thumb.  
"It'll heal." Neville said taking her hand, the one on his cheek in his own and removing the blood with his fingers.  
"At least let me help you with something, as a debt for my actions towards you." Pansy said as she took her hand away too quickly and put them at her sides.  
"How about we call it even and next time we see each other we just say hello and next time you won't have a blade to me." Neville said as he picked up the blade that lay at her feet and handed it to her. "Why do you have it? That blade I mean." He asked as she put her hand on it but his did not release.  
"For protection." She replied replacing the blade in a holder at her right side.  
"Protection from what?" Neville asked. She hesitated before she turned, almost as if she was going to run but Neville put his palm on her waist and her eyes snapped to his. "What do you need protection from?" He asked again and she didn't say anything but only took his hand and kissed his fingers.  
"My nightmares that haunt me day and especially the night." She said putting her head down as if ashamed of the confession.  
"Ashamed?" Neville asked, she looked up quickly as if wounded by his words.  
"Why would you think that?" She asked, "Why would I be, you have no right to think anything when you don't even know me or who I am for that matter." She turned but Neville laid a hand on her arm and with a quick reflex of her left arm she had the blade against his good cheek.  
"I don't like to be touched, especially when I don't know when." She said and pulled the blade down and back in the holder as quickly as it had come.  
"You don't like a lot of things." Neville said moving his hand back to his side and looking at her pointedly.  
"One of them being you at this moment." Pansy said, moving her long blonde hair behind her she held perfectly still as if waiting for him to foul up.  
"You don't want me to know that the Pansy Parkinson everyone has grown to know might actually have a flaw." Neville said and Pansy turned cold, dark green eyes on him, they quickly grew a flame and she slapped him, hard, across the cheek.  
"I have no flaws." Pansy said and Neville holding his cheek only smiled.  
"That only concludes my theory." Neville said and Pansy laughed.  
"You don't know the first thing about me. All you Gryffindors think about me is that I have no feelings, no heart, no nothing. But I would like to point out Mr. Longbottom that if you had even given me a chance I might have been nicer to you than all of you put together. You only thought that since Draco Malfoy was evil that all Slytherins were just because of what all say. But not all of us are like that. Only you had to ask and we would have told you. The other thing is that you don't know the first thing about hurt, you have everything laid out for you." Pansy choked out her voice filled with tears.  
"You think you know it all don't you? You—"Neville said but stopped holding one hand up. "Never mind. It is my hardship, not yours, I shouldn't lay it all on you just because of the way I feel." Pansy looked at him and her eyes softened.  
"You are like what they say." Pansy said as she laid a hand on his arm. He looked at it and turned his blue eyes to her green ones.  
"And how is that? What do they say?" Neville asked her.  
"You are very compassionate." Pansy said, with great skill and a little hope she leaned forward and gave him a kiss and turned.  
"Why did you do that?" Neville asked. "No reason." Pansy perked quickly. Neville pulled her to him and held her there and kissed her again, but with more than what she had and with more feeling.  
"You know why and you know why I did." Neville said. Giving them some room between each. "We should go." Neville said quickly when he heard voices.  
"Who is it?" Pansy asked. Neville moved to where his bag lay and picked it up and put it across his shoulders.  
"I don't know but I am not about to stick around and find out." Neville said. Putting his arm around Pansy's waist they walked to the door. "I'll walk you to your common room so I know you get there."  
"I can get there." Pansy said but Neville put a finger to her lips.  
"Just let me." Neville said and Pansy nodded and together they walked down the quiet and dark halls.  
  
Morning broke and the Great Hall filled for breakfast some still in their rooms getting ready for the school day and some in the Owlery sending letters to their families. Carrying her glass ball that she carried for good luck, Ginny Weasley walked back to the Great Hall for the breakfast that she had left unattended while she went to answer the notes she had been receiving since the beginning of the school year. She had yet to tell anyone of them, for the fear of whom it might turn out to be. Ginny knew it to be male as the notes were secret admirer notes, but she had yet to find out whom it was. Walking back slowly Ginny contemplated on whom it could be but everytime she did she couldn't think if anyone who would. Putting her head down Ginny watched the ball turn her favorite colors, she closed her eyes for a moment to see if could see the man who was sending the letters. As soon as she had she hit a solid chest and her charm fell from her hands and shattered at their feet.  
"I am such a klutz. I should have been watching were I was going instead of daydreaming!" Ginny cried out as she kneeled to pick up the broken pieces.  
"We all make certain mistakes when we have something important on our minds." Blaise Zabini said as he lowered to her level to take one of her hands. "You must be careful. Glass is not patient and will cut." Taking his wand he said a quick spell and the charm was together and in his palm.  
"Thank you." Ginny said. Looking up at the seventh year Slytherin, Ginny's heart did a flip in her chest and she felt silly knowing that this man wouldn't give her the time of day. Reasons being that she was younger than he and a Gryffindor. Not of his rank or wealth.  
"You are most welcome Ginevra." He replied giving a slight bow and making a move to pass her but her hand came to his forearm.  
"Kindness comes in all forms." She said smiling at him and letting go she walked off to the Great Hall.  
"She holds your heart Zabini." Draco said as he walked up behind him. Blaise looked to him and nodded.  
"She does and yet she doesn't even know she does." Blaise said. Draco laughed and clapped him on the back. "Still sending those silly letters. You should come out and tell her." Draco said and Blaise looked at him as if he were mad.  
"You're crazy. All of Gryffindor would be on my head if they found out I fancied there littlest." Blaise said.  
"But hiding you feelings hurts you, deeper than you know." Draco said. Blaise looked at him and almost laughed. It didn't hurt him, nothing did and nothing ever would. But this woman did hold something and it made him want more than he knew he could have from her.  
"You need not worry Draco. I will be fine and I will get past the feelings; once I know what they are." Blaise said and walked into the door of the hall.  
"You only think you do not know the feelings. You are in love with her." Draco said and at that same moment Hermione walked behind him giving his ponytail a tug, Draco caught her wrist and turned her.  
"Can I help you Mister Malfoy?" Hermione asked innocently. Draco looked at her; she was so different than she had once been. She now had straight brown hair her eyes were sharper than they used to be, they could see anything and know everything. She had small delicate features that required no make-up and if she wore any at all you could not tell. She smiled and with a small pull had her hand and with a slight curtsy Hermione was in the hall.  
"Touching her is dangerous. Especially when Gryffindor is around." Pansy said as she walked to his side. Draco nodded his agreement and they started into the hall together.  
"You were out late last night and who were you talking to outside the portrait?" Draco asked and knew immediately that he had struck a nerve as she had stiffened next to him.  
"I had another nightmare and went to the Great Hall to work through it. Without your and Blaise's help." Pansy said and with a quick look her gaze skimmed over to the Gryffindor table and on to Neville she made a slight smile and looked back at Draco. "It was nothing, need not worry my brother."  
"You know I want you safe and walking around at dark in this school is not." Draco said as they sat. "It could be dangerous and we can not afford that at the moment."  
"I know it and you know I can take care of myself without Blaise and you following my every move as if I were a child." Pansy said. "I feel five around you, not seventeen."  
Most at the Gryffindor table were completely enthralled with trying to find out what was wrong with the teachers, before something happened. The men were trying to make a plan on which they could go on to see if anything they could do would help them find out while the women thought all they were going to do was get themselves into trouble they did not need.  
"Neville what happened to your cheek?" Hermione asked as she saw the small gash across his cheek.  
"Nothing I really don't remember how I got it." Neville said and almost laughed. A woman with a dagger was a dangerous woman.  
"It looks like it hurts." Ginny said, "How else could you have gotten it? Did you cut yourself working on one of your sculptures?"  
"I might have. I must have been so tired I don't remember." He replied, he really wanted to change the subject before anyone found out that Neville had almost gotten his butt kicked by a girl, but she had been good at kicking his ass.  
"Be careful next time. You are an artist, you do not want to go ruining your good looks." Hermione said laughing.  
"Thanks for the pointer I'll remember it for next time. We should get going. Potter! You know we have to be on the field at two?" Neville asked and Harry nodded.  
"I got it thanks. I'll bring Ron and Ginny with me." Harry said.  
"Just make sure. You know how the other teams get picky if we are not there on time." Neville pointed.  
"I know." Harry said and they all got up for Potions, the Great Hall cleared and without anyone watching Draco, Blaise and Pansy made their way to the High Table were Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall waited for them.  
"They suspect." Draco said motioning to Gryffindor table, Dumbledore nodded.  
"What are we going to do? We cannot just sit around and let them guess on it. I nearly killed Neville Longbottom last night when I was waiting for my owl from the Order. What can I do when you are letting them roam free at night?" Pansy argued, Blaise and Draco eyeing her on her confession on Neville.  
"I had no idea students were walking around late at night but since it is a Gryffindor I hold no surprise." Dumbledore said, and then turned his look on Draco.  
"You were with Miss Granger last night. You should not include her in what you're doing. It could be dangerous to her and we cannot afford any foul ups." Snape said.  
"I understand. I just left my meeting with Lupin when she was walking to the kitchens to see those damned elves." Draco said. Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall smiled.  
"You know that she will find out, she always does and we need to be prepared to handle it. She will come to you first and then to us. We need to be able to get her to keep it from the men in Gryffindor. We cannot let Harry know what we are doing. Miss Lovegood has kept them at bay but you know that will not be for long." Dumbledore said.  
"You Mr. Zabini are the only one who holds a clear mind on the matter and I need you to go to the Dark Forest and call on Firenze. We need his help and we need to make sure that all students are in their towers at night before any of you go out again. I want you away from Granger and Longbottom. No one is to know anything." McGonagall said and with a slight bow from each they exited the hall to Potions.  
  
"I want you all to wait to start your potions." Trawleny said as she passed out the ingredients. "Your potions master should be back any second to give you instructions."  
"Where is Professor Snape anyway?" Ron asked, just then the door to the dungeons slammed open and came Snape followed by Pansy, Blaise and Draco.  
"That is indeed none of your business Mr. Weasley. I may remind you that it is wise to hold your tongue on matters you do not know." Snape said.  
"Yes sir." Ron replied and looking behind him he saw the three take a seat in the back with the rest of the Slytherins.  
"Now you know what to do get started on the potion that was assigned to you." He barked and everyone jumped onto the potion.  
  
"What do think? I think they all are involved I just don't know how yet. But I will. Watch I will know by the end of this week." Ron said as they walked from the dungeons.  
"Just leave it alone. You need not bother with it. You will not find anything out." Luna Lovegood said. She was trying desperately to get Ron off their backs but so far she was having quite a difficult time with it.  
"They are hiding something and the teachers know but they don't want us worried well they are making us worry when they are withholding information from us that could be important." Ron said.  
"You have no right to butt into someone else's business when it is not your own." Pansy Parkinson said walking up to the five as they walked down the hall.  
"You are hiding something and I think we all have a right to know." Ron said and took a step towards her.  
"You do not know what your right is. You need to butt out before you get hurt Weasley." Pansy snarled. "It would be for your own safety to stop this little plan of yours and bury it."  
"What would you know? How do I know you are not working for Voldemort this very minute?" Ron asked. Pansy smirked; she walked close to his face and smirked.  
"You'll just have to trust me. Or not, what ever is your preference. Just stay out of my way if you know what is good for you." Pansy said and slinging her braid behind her she walked away.  
"She knows something. For that I am sure." Ron said walking briskly to the field.  
"You just need to leave it alone Ronald. It will get you nowhere!" Luna cried.  
  
"How could you do that Pansy? Why?" Draco yelled at her when she walked into the common room.  
"It was my decision. That man was getting on my nerves thinking he would find out. I just told him he better just beware of what he might find." Pansy said standing to face him.  
"That could ruin everything. You know that and I know that. We cannot jeopardize what we have. You have to listen to me." Draco said.  
"I do not have to do anything." Pansy said, "The Granger woman was with him, Luna was trying to get him to stop. He won't and she will find out and it will be our heads so why not warn them?"  
"That is not your decision to decide." Draco said. He started to pace the common room.  
"I will do what I so please. I am not some toy you can command. Just because I am a woman does not make me lower than you." Pansy said. "I'm leaving."  
"Where are you going?" Draco asked grabbing her arm harshly as she walked to the portrait.  
"Is that your business Father?" Pansy snapped, wrenching her arm free.  
  
Snow lightly covered the ground outside the castle of Hogwarts, still falling as Neville made his way to the courtyard to finish his latest sculpture. He took out his tools from his coat, laying them gently next to the half finished sculpture that he had yet to name or figure out what it was. As he began to chip away the pieces of rock he heard the branches snap, so standing he turned to Pansy behind him, in nothing but her Hogwarts uniform, a skirt and her vest, her sleeves rolled, her hair in its usual waist length braid, but she was standing there silently, the holder at her side but not hidden as it had been the other night.  
"Are you insane you could catch a cold." Neville said as he quickly slipped his coat from him to her shoulders and as if the coat weighed more than she, her knees buckled and she fell into his arms. "Pansy? Are you all right? Pansy?" Gently touching her face he found it warm and then he saw the bloodstain seeping threw her shirt at the base of her vest. Moving aside the shirt he saw the stab wound through the top of her left shoulder. He pulled the dagger from the holder and saw the blood marking it, had she? No, someone else had done this. So lifting from his knees and leaving his work he walked back into the school and made his way to the common room. Stepping in he found most of Gryffindor working on homework, noting the presence of most of the women he at first didn't know what to do until Hermione saw him.  
"Neville what are you—"Hermione said and then saw the blonde braid hanging from the side and the blood on his hands and on her clothes, she immediately ran to him. "Ginny, we need towels and fresh sheets on one of the beds! Get Harry and also get my first aid kit from my trunk. Neville bring her to the couch. Dean get your ass off the couch." Immediately jumping from the couch Dean helped lay Pansy down. Hermione moved the shirt away from the wound and looking at it carefully she concluded that it would need to be healed with magic not Muggle medicine.  
"I need someone to go to Slytherin and get Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini and someone else to get Madam Pomfrey." Hermione said as she put a towel on the wound.  
"I'll go to Slytherin." Ginny said and ran from the common room. Harry then stood as if to go to the Medical Wing. "No I need you here Harry you know the medical ways more than I. Ron you go." Hermione said and Ron ran to go get Madam Pomfrey. "Do you know what happened Neville?" Harry asked as he cleaned the blood away from the wound.  
"No, I heard someone behind me and when I turned I found her and when I put my jacket on her she fell as if it weighed too much for her and that is when I saw the blood. She has a dagger she carries with her and that is what held the blood but I doubt very much that she would stab herself." Neville explained.  
"I agree with you. There is a reason Pansy told Ron to butt out this afternoon and this is one of the consequences of him not listening." Harry said.  
  
Ginny finally reached the portrait hole of Slytherin and tried to remember the password that Hermione had told her right before she left but her brain was to full she could not remember. Trying many words that she thought were the password and finally after trying at least a million she cursed.  
"Dammit!" She screamed slamming her palms onto the wooden frames that were around the portrait. "Let me in god dammit!" Banging as loudly as possible she hoped that one of them could hear her. As soon as she started to bang the portrait swung open and Blaise Zabini, stepped out.  
"Is there—Ginevra?" He said and looked down at the small redheaded woman who was slumped on her knees.  
"Draco!" He called into the Common Room then her turned back to Ginny. "What is the matter, what happened?" Blaise said standing her up to his level.  
"Pansy, she is in our common room. Something happened to her. Neville brought her back with a stab wound in her left shoulder and she isn't awake and we went to get Madam Pomfrey." She explained and Blaise looked at her and knew that she was telling the truth. That minute Draco walked up with a pissed expression on his face.  
"Is there a reason we are all yelling?" He asked then looked at Blaise and then at Ginny who was standing at his side.  
"Pansy has been hurt and is in the Gryffindor common room." Blaise told him and Ginny nodded when Draco found her eyes.  
"Come I will take you to her." Ginny said and the three ran to the Gryffindor common room. Finally reaching the common room, Ginny said the password and they all walked into the room and found Madam Pomfrey with Pansy and Neville at her side as the woman healed Pansy. She was awake and talking to Hermione as Madam Pomfrey put something on the wound and then wrapped it. Telling Pansy something the woman walked past the three near the portrait and stepped up to Ginny and whispered something to her and she nodded and then Madam Pomfrey left.  
"Is she all right?" Draco asked walking to her and kneeling at her side. Pansy nodded and sat up so she would not look hurt, at least not too badly.  
"I am fine. Nothing really just a nick." Pansy said looking at her hands. Draco lifted her chin.  
"Who did it?" Blaise asked and she shook her head. "No I will not tell you." She answered. She stood and walking to the window she stared out and turned back. "I actually don't know who it was. I was in the forest and then it hit and then the next thing I knew I was behind Neville while he was working. Somehow he heard me and then I was here." Pansy said.  
"We have to go. We need to go." Blaise said, his hand still on Ginny's, she looked up at him and he shook his head and with that the three exited the room, Ginny close behind.  
"Blaise!" She called, he turned and looked at her clear violet eyes and she smiled at him. "You shouldn't hold your feelings in, they will hurt you." She said and walked back into the common room.  
"What did you tell her?" Pansy asked, she was putting most her weight on Draco, as it was hard for her to keep her footing.  
"I told her nothing, yet she knows something I don't." Blaise said as he took Pansy's other arm helping hold her up.  
  
"What did you say to him?" Hermione asked Ginny when she walked back into the common room.  
"Nothing. I said nothing to him. Why would you ask?" Ginny asked trying to cover up anything that she might have done.  
"Are you all right? Why did you talk to him anyway? You wouldn't have a crush on him now would you?" Ron asked almost laughing.  
"Where would you come up with something so stupid?" Ginny squeaked. Ron jumped up laughing. "I knew it! You've had that look in your eyes since he walked in here!" Ron said Harry laughing with him, then the exchange of money, from Harry to Ron.  
"You were betting on me?" Ginny cried outraged. Ron looked at her and with a slight nod handed over money to Hermione. "You too?" She cried pointing at Hermione.  
"Yes. It was completely obvious. I am so sorry but I needed the extra galleons for Hogsmeade." Hermione said slipping the money into her skirt.  
"You might have won your stupid bet but it is not like he will give me the time of day you know." Ginny said walking to the window. "I am a Gryffindor and not of his rank." Turning she brought out all the letters from her secret admirer. "And I have this guy to deal with and I am not in the mood to have someone not wanting me." She said walking away.  
"She does love him." Hermione said looking at Ron who nodded his agreement.  
  
"Who did it Pansy?" Draco asked when they reached the common room. "We know you know and we are going to find out so you might as well spill." Pansy looked at him and raised her hand.  
"Wouldn't that be my decision, to tell you?" Pansy interrogated. Blaise threw his head back and groaned and Draco nearly had a silent heart attack when the words escaped her mouth.  
"No I don't think it is. Pansy, you were stabbed, with your own dagger and you don't want to tell us who it was?" Blaise asked, Pansy looked at him, a frown on her lips.  
"I don't want to be put under the Zabini and Malfoy surveillance." Pansy said.  
"You will be if you don't tell us who stabbed you." Blaise said, standing up near her, putting his hand on her wound. "We need to know who did this so we can protect you and this school." Turning away from her he thought of Ginny and the way she had talked to him, knowing more than he thought he might know.  
"Fine. But this does not go to Dumbledore. Of course they all probably know what happened to me and know who did it. But I don't want it to come from either of you." Pansy said. Both of them looked at her and nodded. "It was Peter Pettigrew. I would know him from anywhere." Before Blaise or Draco could get a word in she continued. "I was in the forest, like I knew I wasn't allowed to be and I did it because I was mad at you Draco and I wanted to be away from you so I went to the forest and I saw Neville out there. I wanted to talk to him because I knew I wasn't supposed to because of you all and the teachers. But before I could get over there someone was behind me and there he was with my dagger. He lunged at me and I kicked him and that is when he caught me in the shoulder. I knocked him out in the forest but he would be gone by now." She finished slumping onto the couch.  
"I thought Peter Pettigrew was dead." Draco said and Blaise looked at him. "Apparently not. Which we will have to tell the Order, they will need to know." He said noting it.  
"How did you get to Neville then?" Blaise asked. She looked up at him and smiled.  
"I don't remember. I just remember his back to me and then him turning around and yelling at me for not wearing a jacket and then the world was black." Laughing she stood.  
"What is so funny?" Draco asked. Pansy looked at him. "I don't understand you at all Parkinson."  
"I just remembered the way he—he cared about me." She laughed and turned to them. "I am going to my room. Awake me for Lunch. I am not finishing out my classes." She said leaving.  
"We have to get to DADA." Blaise said to Draco.  
  
They entered the classroom and stares bombarded them. They sat in the back and waited for the teacher to show himself. But while they waited everyone continued to stare at them as if they were some animals in a cage. Ginny Weasley stood with her brother, the Potter boy and Hermione Granger. She looked at Blaise and smiled. She turned away from Potter who was talking to her. Walking over to were both sat she pulled a chair where she sat across from them.  
"How is she? Pansy I mean." She asked. She had her hands crossed and dangling from her fingers was the ridiculous glass ball key chain.  
"Fine, just at bit tired that is why she is staying in her room for the remaining of classes. But she will be back for lunch." Blaise said looking at the small Weasley girl. No longer little, Ginny had striking red hair that she wore down and curling at her waist. Her eyes were what captivated him the most, violet in color and yet shown silver in the trickery of light. She smiled at his face and took his hand; the key chain flopped around as she moved her fingers on his.  
"If you ever need to talk don't hesitate to talk to me." Ginny said squeezing tightly on his hand before she lifted from the table her bright gold nails staring after her.  
"What are you going to do now?" Draco asked Blaise. All he did was put his head in his hands and shook them from side to side. "I thought so." Draco laughed. They continued on through the class, before Lupin could hand out an assignment Lunch was called, everyone rushed from the room.  
"Slow today aren't we Granger?" Draco asked as he slid up next to her as she pulled a book from her bag. She looked up from were she squatted on the floor. Her green eyes twinkled when she smiled at him.  
"Usually I am crushed if I try to be the first one out of the classroom. So I stay to the back and make my way out after everyone has. But you would know that if you knew me." Hermione said standing up, facing him. She wore her grey skirt and socks but she only wore her white shirt tucked in and her hair falling over her shoulders.  
"That is why I wanted to talk to you." Draco said becoming nervous as he spoke. He was never nervous.  
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. Draco swore out loud making Hermione jump slightly. "I have no idea what I am doing." He said raking his hands through his hair.  
"Just tell me. I don't think it can be that bad." Hermione laughed touching his hands softly.  
"I think I know the answer to your question you asked of me a couple nights ago." Draco spilled with a gulp of breath afterwards.  
"DO you now?" Hermione questioned. He looked at her and shook his head. "What is your secret then?"  
"You are. I started to think about it and I figured out that the answer was you. I want to get to know you. I think I might love you." Draco said. Hermione froze, her face draining of all color.  
"No. You can't love me." Hermione said looking at him as thought he was crazy. "I can't—won't be tricked into anything by you."  
"Who said you where being tricked. I want to love you. If you will let me." Draco said trying to step forward but she just took an equal step back.  
"You don't know what you want." Hermione whispered as she turned and walked from the room leaving Draco there to wonder. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:  
  
"Don't turn back now."  
  
It was very quiet when Ginny sneaked from the Gryffindor common room to the Astronomy tower. She walked up the steps as slowly as she could so she would not make any noise. Turning slowly she unlocked the door to the tower and with a slight creak of the door she was out into the clear, dark night. Walking to one of the telescopes Ginny sat down next to it and pulled from her black sling bag her spiral. Opening it to one of the last pages she began to draw. Pulling out her colored pencils she began to work in the color. Finally finished she looked at her latest artwork. All she saw was the face that haunted all of her dreams. Placing the pad down she pushed back her hair from her eyes.  
"Why do I dream about you?" Ginny asked nobody. Looking up she saw the stars stare down at her and hoped that someone heard her prayer.  
"Dream about who?" A voice asked. Ginny jumped up, but out of the shadows came the figure that her portrait mirrored.  
"I—I thought I was the only up here. I will leave if I am interrupting something. I am terribly sorry if I am." Ginny said gripping her hands together until her knuckles turned white.  
"Don't be ridiculous. You're not interrupting anything. I came up here because—"Blaise Zabini trailed off as he looked at the woman who stood in front of him.  
"Because?" Ginny asked unclenching her hands to lay them at her side. She looked deep into his eyes and saw something in them but did not recognise it.  
"I usually come up here to clear my thoughts. I need to sometimes." Blaise said, lying, the real reason being that he wanted to make sure she was all right. He had watched her leave the common room of Gryffindor and head out. He didn't want her to be hurt since Peter Pettigrew was out and about.  
"I see. I came up here to get away. I need to sometimes." Ginny said smiling. Leaning down she picked up her art book.  
"What is that?" Blaise asked stepping towards her. Not knowing what to do she placed the book behind her back.  
"Nothing. It is nothing." She said quickly. Blaise looked down at her and taking one of her arms brought forth the book that she had been hiding. On the page it was open too was a picture of him, standing straight, no expression on his face.  
"You drew this? Of me?" Blaise asked as he skimmed the remaining pages and saw pictures of many people he knew and did not know. Covering some of the pictures was Pansy, Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ronald and Luna Lovegood. "You drew all of these?"  
"Yes. I—I sometimes dream about you. I draw what I dream." Ginny said looking down at her feet.  
"You dream about me?" Blaise asked. No one had ever thought about him let alone dream about him. "Why would you want to do that sort of thing?"  
"I don't know. It has been going on for some time, I—I shouldn't have said anything." She said turning away from him as if burned.  
"No. You should have, I have been the one lying to myself." Blaise said running his hands through his hair. Should he say something or just leave it alone and let it pass? But the question on his mind was would it pass?  
"Lying to yourself? What do you mean?" Ginny asked. Moving a red curl from her face and replacing it in the clip in her hair she stuck her hand in her pocket and hit the small bundle of notes that she kept with her and sighed.  
"I don't know if I should say anything. I don't want to start anything. With anyone." He said. Shoving his hands in his pocket he started to pace. He had to tell her or he was going to go mad, but if he said something...  
"What are you hiding? Maybe I can help you." Ginny said. Setting down her pad near her bag she walked toward him.  
"You can't help me and even if you could I don't know if I want you to." Blaise said removing his hands but continued to pace the short tower walkway.  
"You can tell me anything and I will understand. You are not a Death Eater are you?" She asked almost terrified. Laughing Blaise laid a hand on her shoulder.  
"No that I am not. It has nothing to do with Draco or Pansy either." Blaise said sensing her next question. She smiled up at him. "All right. I just wanted to make sure." She replied.  
"I don't know what I should say or if I should say anything at all." He said. He would tell her but not here. He knew exactly how. "I need to leave. I should leave." He said turning swiftly. Ginny's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.  
"Why? Why do you always have to leave so suddenly? What are you hiding that you are so terrified to revel?" She asked.  
"You will know. I promise you will be the first to know." Blaise said stroking her cheek with his thumb and with that he disappeared.  
  
Dawn broke sending the early sun streaming through the windows. Shifting in her bed her eyes fluttered open. It had been the first time in months that she had slept throughout the night without waking to a dream. Rubbing her eyes Pansy straightened wincing at the pain that her shoulder caused. Pulling away the sheets she walked to the bathroom she shared with about half the Slytherin women. Stepping inside she lifted her shirt at the shoulder to look at the wound. Carefully lifting the bandages she saw the wound that she carried, shutting her eyes she laid the bandages back in place. She needed to get her head out of the clouds and off of Neville Longbottom. It was getting in her way and making her vulnerable and Pansy Parkinson was anything but vulnerable. Not to anything. Not to a man and Neville was all man. She just needed to stay away from him and if that meant avoidance then that was what she was going to do. Slipping, slowly, into her Slytherin uniform one-armed she picked up her book with her good right arm and started toward that portrait door. Breathing deeply she walked through. Making her way down the dark hallway towards her first hour of Potions her arm began to throb violently causing her eyes to water, keeping her head forward and up she continued to make the journey but the pain became so unbearable that her breathing started to hitch, but Pansy knew that she was too hard-headed to stop or even ask for help. Finally she dropped to her knees sending her books out in front of her, clutching her shoulder she took deep breaths. As suddenly as it happened someone's hand came to her good shoulder and looking up she looked into the deep blue eyes of the one person she thought that she could get over. Neville Longbottom in all his brilliance was squatted in front of her with a terrified look on his beautiful features. How he had changed from the pudgy, gawky boy from third year in the tall, built, compassionate man everyone knew and appreciated.  
"Crazy fool-headed woman. What do you think you are doing?" Neville hissed, more of a command instead of a question. Gathering her books her stacked them between them.  
"Going to class. If that makes me crazy I would like to know what you are." Pansy hissed. Trying to get up her shoulder pushed her down. Cursing herself she stayed where she was.  
"You of all people should know better than to carry your own weight in books when you have just sustained an injury. And if you did not know you know now." Neville said carefully removing her hand to see the blood pushing its way to the front of her bandage. "I think you reopened you wound. Congratulations." Neville said.  
"It was an accident." Pansy hissed trying to cover her bare left shoulder. But at no avail Neville kept his hand on her shoulder. "You are coming with me. No arguments. If you do I will go to Madam Pomfrey and to Malfoy and Zabini. Come with me or suffer through them who will be harder than I."  
"Fine. But this is out of force not voluntarily." Pansy said standing her hand on her shoulder to cease any stray blood. Neville picked up her books and walked her to an empty classroom.  
"Sit." Neville ordered and pulling out his wand he magicked up a few supplies including bandages and ointment. Rolling up his sleeves he went about his business until he came up to Pansy with needle in hand.  
"What do you think you are going to do with that?" Pansy asked covering her arm with her hand and giving him a cautious look. He smiled as he prepped the needle.  
"I was thinking about giving myself a shot. This is to deaden your shoulder so I can clean and reseal your shoulder." Neville said. Pansy gulped. SO there was one thing that terrified her. But she wasn't going to show it not in front of him.  
"No. You can't. Why can't you just do it without the needle?" Pansy asked. Neville gave her an odd look.  
"You would be in a lot of pain if I did that. Why? You aren't afraid of needles are you?" Neville asked with a cocky grin on his face.  
"Of course not. I was just wondering. I can handle the pain." Pansy said still covering her shoulder when he came to stand barely a foot away.  
"You are afraid and no I am giving you the shot whether you can face the pain or not. I do not want to see you in any pain." Neville said. Taking her chin in his hands he kissed her. "Just trust me. Can you do that?" Neville asked. Pansy looked in his eyes and knew that she could not refuse him.  
"Yes. I can trust you." Pansy repeated. Looking at the needle she winced when it came into contact with her skin, biting her lip and shutting her eyes she waited until she felt the needle pull from her skin.  
"It will stop the pain. Just watch me, apparently I will have to sew you up until I can get you to Madam Pomfrey." Neville said as he pulled out another needle. Pansy grimaced and looked up at him.  
"I thought you said you wouldn't go to Madam Pomfrey." Pansy winced as Neville stuck the needle in her arm. "I don't want to be a burden."  
"You aren't a burden and I promised that I wouldn't get Zabini and Malfoy involved, Madam Pomfrey on the other hand is mandatory. This is not my expertise." Neville said as he finished, placing the needle onto the table and placing a bandage on the wound. "We should go now. To make sure we fight infection. If any should occur." Neville said handing her, her vest. Placing it on Pansy stood from her chair and started to grab for her bag but Neville grabbed her wrist.  
"I have it. You just have to walk yourself." Neville said laughing as he put her bag on his shoulder along with his and grabbed her books. "I will run by Snape's and tell him were we are going. Stay here." Neville said as he turned to the door.  
"No. If you go I go too. I do not want to be hidden. I can handle this. I want to go with you when you tell him." Pansy said. Neville nodded his head and they walked to the dungeons.  
  
"Class, I want you to open your textbooks to page 952 and begin the potion." Snape said as he pulled out ingredients. As he turned to correct Weasley when he smelled the smoke the dungeons doors opened and Neville Longbottom stepped in setting down two bags and an armload of books as Pansy Parkinson stood near the back gripping her shoulder. "Glad of you to join us." Snape hissed, but knew something was not right.  
"Professor I need a word with you." Neville said, stepping up to his teaching area. "What can I do for you?" Snape asked, Neville bowed his head then looked up again.  
"I think we may have a problem. Pansy Parkinson's wound she sustained seems to be infected with a—I don't know how to state this but a spell of some sort. When I found her in the hall she looked not here. She looked not herself. I would like permission to take her to Madam Pomfrey." Neville asked. Snape shook his head knowing exactly what Longbottom referred.  
"Yes. Do you need anyone with you?" Snape asked. Neville looked out among the class seeing everyone eyeing him. "Yes, I need Ginny Weasley." Neville said loudly and Ginny stood walking to Neville at the front, causing Blaise Zabini to stand from his seat and walk to the front as well.  
"What is going on here?" Blaise asked. Snape turned to him. "You need to return to your seat. This has NOTHING to do with you." Snape hissed.  
"We must leave Professor." Neville said turning Ginny as well, walking swiftly from the room Pansy at foot Blaise turned back to Snape.  
"I want to know. I want to know now." Blaise ordered. Snape merely chuckled. "That may work on others but not on me. Now take your seat." Snape ordered.  
  
"It is the Marabous Spell." Ginny said as she removed the bandage form Pansy's arm to reveal the purple mass. Shaking her head she replaced the bandage. "She needs bed rest and plenty of fluids. Madam Pomfrey is making the antidote but until then she needs someone here with her. Her fever may spike and when it does she will be—unordinary. You must not listen to anything she says and do not repeat anything she says. It could be dangerous." Ginny said handing Neville a list of instructions. "Follow this and I will come and see you after dinner." Ginny said. Leaving she watched Neville sink into the chair at her side and kiss her forehead, as she walked a smile crossed her lips.  
  
Walking the dark hallway towards the Great Hall Ginny thought about Blaise and the way that he had jumped up in Potions when Neville had said her name. Smiling she continued to walk, rolling her key chain from her left hand to her right. Listening she could hear footsteps behind her and thought about running but decided against it as she was close to the Great Hall. Almost screaming when a hand came to her shoulder and spun her around. There stood Blaise Zabini.  
"You scared me! What were you thinking?" Ginny said, her voice wavering. Tears filled her eyes but she quickly wiped them away before he could see them.  
"Sorry. I didn't know I would scare you." Blaise said taking her hands. "I wanted to say something when I was behind you but I didn't know what to say to you then."  
"What do you want to say?" Ginny asked taking her hands away sure that it was to tell her that he had made a mistake talking to her the other night.  
"I wanted to tell you that I know who has been writing those letters." Blaise said letting out a breath of air. Damn him. He really didn't want to say anything to her but when she had turned and had those tears in her eyes he didn't know what to do.  
"You do? Who is it?" Ginny asked withdrawing a pack of letters from her blouse pocket. "I know it sounds silly but I have kept all the letters." Shrugging her shoulders she placed them in his hands. She had kept every letter that he had sent to her. He thought that she would have just read them and tossed them but she hadn't.  
"I promised him I wouldn't tell. I know I shouldn't have said anything if I wasn't going to tell you but I thought you might want to know that he isn't stalking you or anything creepy like that." Blaise said handing the letters back to her. "And he does like you. A lot." Smiling brightly Ginny jumped at him and swung her arms around him for a hug.  
"Thank you so much. I really needed that. Has anyone told you how very sweet you are?" Ginny asked still holding on to him. Blaise stood there for a moment loving the feeling of her in his arms. Then with a short clearing of his throat he backed and watched her arms fall to her side.  
"No. But thank you." Blaise said and with a short bow he left her alone in the corridor. As he turned he dropped a letter that had been in his breast pocket. Picking it up she unfolded the paper and read what was within.  
  
Ginevra,  
I have been wanting to tell you this for a very long and yet my heart has told me to keep it within, for I am ashamed of what my feelings would do for you since I know I am no good for you. You deserve someone who can love you and as much as I want to, I feel that you would forsake everything that you wanted just for me and I cannot allow you to do this. In conclusion of this letter I would like you to know that I, Blaise Zabini, have been the one sending you the letters. I have been afraid of my own feelings and the way they would affect me but all I know now is that I care very deeply for you.  
  
Hardly believing her eyes Ginny read the note two to three times before she let out the breath of air that she did not even know she had been holding. It had been Blaise all along and she had been silly enough to believe that it had been someone in Gryffindor. But it turned out that it was the one her heart had wanted all along.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us you were in the Hospital Wing?" Draco shouted when Pansy returned to the Common Room of Slytherin. "We thought something awful might..." Pansy held up an irritated hand.  
"I knew if I told you this would be the reaction I would receive." Pansy said as she braided her hair into its usual waist length braid. Turning to Blaise she sighed. "Aren't you going to take your pick at me now?" She asked but she saw the look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Draco asked. Blaise lifted his head at the two who stood in front of him.  
"She knows." Was all he said before leaving swiftly from the Common Room, both Pansy and Draco had a pretty good idea about what he was talking about.  
  
"I think I love her." Neville told Ron as he walked into the room he shared with Ronald, Harry and Seamus. Ron looked up from the parchment that had been spread in front of him with a look of confusion written on his features.  
"Who? Are you all right mate?" Ron asked as he pulled himself up from his sitting position to lean on his bedpost. "I thought I heard you say something about loving someone?" Ron asked for clarification.  
"I do. But I don't know if I should." He replied slumping onto his bed and placing his face in his hands. "I am so confused and I don't know why I am. This should be easy but it isn't."  
"Maybe it could be if I know what the hell you were talking about." Ron said walking over to Neville, looking up Neville sighed.  
"I don't know if I should say anything. I mean if it got back to her I think it would scare her or motivate her to kick my ass." Neville said. "And I don't prefer either."  
"Who are you in love with? Maybe it could be easier if you got it off you chest I mean Hermione won't kick you ass she isn't—"Neville looked up quickly and laughed. "What are you laughing about?"  
"It isn't Hermione. Or anyone in Gryffindor." Neville told him. Ron looked at him with one eyebrow up and then shot, "Luna!" Neville laughed harder and waved a hand.  
"I don't have those type feelings for her, she is a good friend and all but no." He said pulling up to full height and removing his Gryffindor vest replacing it with a green sweater and a pair of jeans.  
"Then who is it?" Ron asked as he gathered his bag slinging it over his shoulder, Neville looked at him as he shoved his wallet into his back pocket. "Come on man it can't be that bad, it isn't Pansy or anything is it?" Neville flinched and Ron's eyes grew larger. "No."  
"Shut up." Neville breathed but Ron was already laughing. "Yes you are right, she would kick your ass if she knew your feelings. I mean she can kick Malfoy's ass. She is some sort of karate master or something. Have you seen her practice by the Forbidden Forest?" Ron said as they traveled down to the Common Room where the Gryffindors, male and female, were waiting for Professor McGonagall to tell them it was time to go to Hogsmeade.  
"I've seen her." Neville said as he took a seat in one of the plush armchairs across form Harry and Ginny who were having some sort of conversation.  
  
"She does all these crazy back flips and kicks this bag around, one time she broke it. I was scared for my life. But good choice, she is beautiful. All that long blonde hair and all. Even though she wears it in a braid and never wears make-up." Ron said and Neville punched him in the arm. "What! I'm serious, she is so conservative. She never wears skirts to Hogsmeade when we go, but she can beat anyone in Dueling Club." Ron said and Neville nodded.  
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked when she walked up, dressed in a pair of slim fitting jeans, a tight blue t-shirt and tennis shoes, her long, straight brown hair was left loose around her shoulders. "I heard you talking about make-up. Are you having trouble applying yours Ronald?" She asked, Neville laughed.  
"Hell no." He said straightening his sweater. "I was just talking to Neville about Pansy, he thinks he's in love with her even though I thought it was you at first." Ron said and Neville groaned. Hermione giggled but put her hand on Neville's shoulder.  
"You like Pansy?" She asked, Neville groaned louder and Ron laughed out loud. "No he loves her Hermione." He said.  
"I do. All right?" Neville said dragging his hands through his long brown hair. Looking up to Hermione's smiling face. "What?" He asked, Hermione smiled wider.  
"Does she know?" She asked, Neville eyes widen in shock and Hermione knew her answer. Pulling on her black jacket she sat next to him and took his hand. "You should tell her." Was all she said before she kissed his cheek and allowed him to squeeze her hand.  
"Students assemble in the Great Hall please." McGonagall said and the students began to flood from the Common Room and entered the Great Hall where Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and some Slytherins waited for the word from Dumbledore before they left for Hogsmeade. Hermione, Neville and Ron waited near the entrance of the Great Hall for Ginny and Harry who had lagged behind. Just then Draco, Pansy and Blaise sauntered in. Pansy was in- between her male counterparts, wearing a green t-shirt, snug in the right places, a pair of blue jeans that were snug but were too long for her as they covered the sneakers she wore on her feet. Her usual braid was not seen and in place was beautiful blond curls, soft, but still made her look the same. She walked with grace as she would in her uniform. She didn't smile either, not the she ever did.  
"Wow." Ron murmured as he pushed up the sleeves of his sweater up his arms to his elbows. "She looks amazing...I mean..." He began as Neville glared at him.  
"Hello Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Weasley. How are you?" Pansy asked as she walked up to the two men who had been staring at her since she entered.  
"Fine Ms. Parkinson." Ron said smoothly. "How are you this morning?" he asked, she smiled at him. "Just fine, thank you." She replied touching his arm in return. "And you Mr. Longbottom? Are you all right?" She asked. Neville shut his mouth quickly and turned his eyes on her, she smiled.  
"I'm fine. How are you?" Neville said looking at her shoulder. "You're not in any pain?" He asked. Pansy laughed and shook her head. Ron, being blunt as he was these days, took her hand kissing it.  
"I couldn't see this beautiful woman in any pain. Is it true you kicked our Malfoy's ass?" He asked, she laughed out loud and touching her hair nodded.  
"Yes, but do not repeat. I love Draco very much, like a brother, and don't want him embarrassed. Now if you will excuse me I need to go speak with Hannah and Hermione." She said excusing herself.  
"Thanks. Did you have to do that? Now she thinks I am some stiff!" Neville said, staring at Ron who was laughing. "Not my fault mate, I just asked her a simple question." Ron said raking his hands through his hand and Neville saw the many women staring at his friend.  
"Students out to where the carriages are waiting please!" McGonagall shouted. Pouring out into the front of the school the carriages began to fill. Ron helped Hermione, Parvati, and Ginny into a carriage; Neville hopped into one and laid his head back but a feminine clearing of the throat had him moving to the door of the carriage. He looked out and spotted Pansy there smiling.  
"Are you not going to help me up? She asked, Neville offered his hand to her and pulled her up to the seat next to him, shutting it behind her.  
"Where are your chaperones?" Neville asked mockingly. Pansy glared at him and Neville leaned back in his seat.  
"They are in another carriage with Potter and Weasley." She replied. "I didn't feel like being with the moment, since they decided to be on speaking terms, not completely, but some, I do not wish to be around them when they talk." She replied.  
"Fair enough. What's with the hair? I always see you in your formal braid." Neville asked. Pansy crossed her legs and looked up at him.  
"Felt like a change. When are you going to cut off yours?" She asked. Neville laughed, a husky sound from the bottom of the throat.  
"Doubt I will." Neville answered. "Why don't you like my hair?" He asked, Pansy laughed. "What! It's dashing!" He said Pansy smiled and the next moment Neville had taken her chin and lowered his lips to hers, the kiss was unexpected, but the reaction to it was worse. He explored her mouth and Pansy did the same, when he came up he dropped his hand fast.  
"I'm sorry that was unexcused of me." He said but before he could say something else she had the back of head and was kissing him again.  
  
As the students exited the carriages and met up with friends Draco and Blaise watched Pansy exit the carriage Neville at her side helping her down, she straightened her hair and with a nod and a smile took his hand and dragged him into the nearest shop with no protest from the man in question. Blaise and Draco exchanged a look but attentions where diverted when Ronald Weasley slammed into the poor unsuspecting Hannah Abbott. With no such apology he helped her pick up her numerous packages while staring off at something else and without checking if she was all right went off with a group of others. Hermione seeing this followed as Draco did the same, Blaise went to see if the poor Abbott woman was all right.  
"Are you all right, miss?" He asked. Hannah looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of Blaise Zabini. Every girl had wanted him to talk to her at the most acknowledge her and here he was doing it to her. Even though he felt sorry for her.  
"I'm fine. Thank you." She whispered as she tried to keep ahold of her packages. Dropping a few she dropped to her knees to pick them up cursing herself as she went, Blaise bent to help and gathering them he did not move to give them to her. "Allow me." Draco Malfoy said coming up on her other side reliving her of the rest of her packages.  
"No...I can do that..." Hannah said making a grab for her packages but Draco kept them well out of her reach.  
"It is the least we can do since our friend was so rude. He was in a hurry you see and is not usually that disrespectful to such a beautiful woman." Draco said as he led her to a bench.  
"It was nothing...I'm perfectly fine." She murmured even though her arm hurt where Ron had slammed into it.  
"No...it isn't and we wish to offer you the invitation to join us for lunch. We, Blaise and I, are meeting Ginevra Weasley, Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson and others. We wish for you to be among them, unless you have other plans that is." Draco asked.  
"No! I mean...that would be nice. Thank you for the invitation." She replied. Draco smiled and kissed both her cheek wholeheartedly.  
"Splendid. We will see you at the Three Broomsticks at noon. Don't be late." Draco said setting her packages next to her and leaving.  
  
"I would expect that from someone else but not you Ronald Weasley! You broke that poor girl's heart! How could you be so insensitive?" Hermione cried hitting him hard on the arm.  
"What are you ranting about? I barely touched her and she looked fine!" Ron shouted back.  
"You are so mean! I cannot believe you! You were in such a hurry to catch up with all those women you just slammed into that girl and then ran off before apologizing or asking if she was all right! I am not going to speak to you until you apologise!" Hermione cried running off before Ron could reply.  
"Perfect." He replied kicking dirt.  
  
Hannah walked into the Three Broomsticks at precisely noon. She didn't want to be rude and be late when Blaise and Draco had been so kind. She spotted Hermione Granger laughing with Ginevra Weasley, walking over she stopped short and decided that she was too afraid to go over there. As she turned she ran into a solid male chest.  
"Don't turn back now." He said and Hannah looked up at the tall Ronald Weasley. Hannah sucked in her breath and put a hand to her throat.  
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you like—"Hannah began to spout off but Ron held up a hand and took her arm and sat her at the table at there right.  
"I am the one who should be apologizing to you. I was very rude this afternoon by slamming into you and not saying one word to you. I wish I could say that I was in a hurry as probably Draco has said to you but that was not the case. I was just downright rude. And I wanted to—be pleased—be forever grateful if you would forgive me and spend the day with me. Starting now with lunch. I can make an excuse with Draco for us." Ron said and Hannah smiled, inward.  
"Of course I forgive you. But—"Hannah began but Ron took ahold of her hands in his and looked in her eyes. "Please say yes?" Ron said, his red hair falling over his forehead, his brown eyes dancing.  
"Yes." Hannah said and Ron squeezed her hands and handed her a menu that had been laid in front of them while they had been talking. "Order whatever you would like. On me." Ron said. Hannah smiled and looked at the menu.  
"Are your ready to order?" The waitress asked. Ron looked at Hannah and she nodded. "I'll have the daily soup and a salad with the spaghetti and?" Ron said and looked at Hannah. Turning to the waitress she said, "The chicken and mixed vegetables please." She said. Smiling, Ron looked at her.  
"Vegetables? My mother could never get me to eat them. Maybe you can." Ron said. Hannah looked shocked at what he had said.  
"I would never force you to eat—"Hannah began. Ron laughed and took her hand. "It was a joke, love." He said and she sighed. This was harder than she thought. As they finished lunch Ron left a number of Galleons on the table and leaving her for a second he made his excuses to Draco, Blaise and the rest and they left.  
"Where do you want to go first?" She asked, taking her hand he walked her into the newest bookstore in Hogsmeade, one Hermione had yet to buy out.  
"Have you read Lockhart's new book, 'My Life In The Nut House', I heard it was a best seller." Ron said causing Hannah to spout giggles. "Funny am I?" He asked, Hannah smiled. They roamed in and out of shops, buying things that caught their fancy. They stepped into an older shop filled with tons of trinkets and old jewelry. While Hannah looked at a case of jewelry, Ron wandered around to the back to take a look at the old books that filled the walls. When he walked back to where Hannah was looking, he saw her staring at a rose broach that had small diamonds and rubies around it.  
"Like that?" Ron asked. Hannah turned to him and smiled. "Very much. It is beautiful. But I can't afford that." Hannah said. Ron took her hand and squeezed. "Are you ready to go?" Ron asked and Hannah nodded. "How would you like to go sit by the lake?" He asked her.  
"That would be wonderful." Hannah agreed. Walking hand in hand they traveled down to the lake and sat on one of the benches, all were empty but they chose the one closest to the water. Sitting down, Hannah tried to act not so nervous but she knew she was failing miserably. Ron took her hand in his and played with the fingers. Hannah smiled and sighed at the same time.  
  
"Are you having a good time?" Ron asked and Hannah turned to him and smiled brightly at him.  
"Very much." Hannah said. Ron smiled, a smile that always made the world seem brighter.  
"I'm glad to hear that." Ron said. Taking her chin with his hand he stroked her jaw. Pulling her head to his he kissed her softly; a very small contact but Hannah felt the fireworks.  
  
The carriages began to fill as the teachers ushered the students into them. Pansy and Neville shared a carriage, as did many others. Hannah walked toward one near the back and began to step up when someone took her hand before she slipped out of the carriage she was half in.  
"Careful their Ms. Abbott." Ron said as she stepped into the carriage. She took her seat and smiled shyly at Ron, who was still on the ground.  
"Would you ride home with me?" Hannah asked and Ron smiled and jumped into the carriage, sitting right next to her.  
"Thought you would never ask." Ron said taking her hand and kissing it.  
  
The next morning Hermione woke early to take a walk on the grounds before breakfast. Starting out she pulled on her sweater in the cool air of morning but the sound in the bushes told her that someone had come to the same thoughts as she had.  
"Mr. Malfoy may I remind you that stalking is illegal." Hermione said. Draco's mouth hung open as he took her hand.  
"How do you ALWAYS know?" He asked and Hermione shrugged her shoulders as he spun her around in his arms. "Really, what is it?" He asked and she shrugged her shoulders again.  
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked removing her hand from his in one swift movement, as she turned to continue her walk her skirt billowed around her ankles and caught on her foot causing her to plunge forward. Draco caught her arm quickly and dragged her to his chest, as she hit there was a soft escape of her breath.  
"Why are you running?" Draco asked and Hermione's eyes grew larger and her mouth opened slightly but closed.  
"Just leave me alone." Hermione said walking away toward Hagrid's hut.  
  
Potions began early that morning; most students still half asleep or working on waking up before Snape made his entrance and scared everyone out of their skin. Hannah laid her books out in front of her in her usual spot in the back of the dungeon where Potions was held. Pulling out her quill she began to work on the Transfiguration essay that she had yet to finish, she had 4 pages, the limit, but still had more to write. She watched all the other girls walk in, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson, and envied the way they were so beautiful and she was just so...plain. Her hair was short, framing her face, flipped to the side and very blonde. Many would say it was elegant, she thought it was plain...just like she.  
"Hey Ron! Come sit with me!" Hannah heard Parvati Patil call when he walked into the room. Hannah watched him walk into the room and she smiled. He didn't look at her, probably because he didn't see her hiding in the back, and he went to sit with the people he had since first year. Snape burst through the door and that broke her thoughts.  
  
"So where were you at Hogsmeade?" Harry Potter asked Ron when they got in their group with Neville Longbottom to do their potion. Ron shrugged his shoulders and went to adding his ingredients. "Come on we know you were with someone, a female is my guess." He continued.  
"All I have to say is that it is none of your business where I was. I am grown now and do not need to consult you or Hermione about what I am going to do." Ron said and Harry groaned. Ron knew that Harry wanted information on the girl he had been with and usually Ron would have spilled his guts but for some reason he didn't want to share his day with Hannah with anyone but her.  
"Lunch will now begin. Leave you potions on boil, they should be ready to add to the wolfsbane when you return." Snape said and the students began to file out.  
"I'll meet you guys in the Great Hall, I need to send something to my mum." Ron said as he turned down the hall heading to the Owlery.  
  
"Have you seen Ron?" Ginny asked Harry when she walked up to the table and found her brother missing. Harry looked at her and pointed to the Owlery tower. "What's he doing there?"  
"He was sending something to your mother." Hermione answered. "He seemed really intent on it too. Must have been important."  
"I wonder why. We just got a letter from her yesterday." Ginny replied, shrugging. Sitting she looked over to the Slytherin table and saw Blaise Zabini talking with Draco and she sat wondering when he would tell her. Hopefully very soon.  
  
The first rose arrived on a Tuesday, and the others followed. Sometimes there would be one, sometimes dozens, in classes or in her room. They showed up everywhere. Hannah had so many roses she didn't know what to do with them all. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:  
  
"You're beautiful...so very beautiful..."  
  
Hannah found the bouquet of pink roses on her desk in Potions on Thursday. Taking the card from its holder she read the short sentence that was in all the other bouquets and attached to all the flowers, 'You hold me.' Smiling to herself she held the card to her heart. Setting down her things she moved the flowers to the side so they wouldn't be in the way.  
"Nice flowers." Ron said as he walked past her, a smug look in his eyes. Thinking nothing of it she opened her notebook and began to study the potions they were given yesterday for the pop quiz for this class.  
"Been sending yourself roses again?" Cho Chang spat at Hannah when she walked in with her little gang of Ravenclaws. They glared at her and Hannah didn't know what to say. She had never been mean to her and she didn't want to say anything to her. Ever since Cedric's death she had become so cruel.  
"No." Hannah whispered, rubbing her hand on her leg. She was damn nervous and she knew there was no need to be. She hadn't done anything wrong.  
"Of course you have. No one would actually send YOU flowers. I mean LOOK at you. Who ever it was...don't worry. It was just a cruel joke to get at the poor little Hufflepuff loser." Cho shouted, mostly so that everyone could hear her. Hannah blushed and petted her hair down.  
"I—"Hannah began but no other words came out. Cho laughed at her and the other flying monkeys joined in.  
"Poor baby can't even say anything." As she walked by Cho bumped into the table causing the vase of roses to crash to the flower in a thunder of broken glass and noise. Hannah grimaced and Snape walked in. Perfect.  
"I want this cleaned immediately Ms. Abbott." Snape snapped and Hannah burst into tears and fled the room, Ron close behind the fleeing girl.  
  
"Poor baby can't even say anything." As she walked by Cho bumped into the table causing the vase of roses to crash to the flower in a thunder of broken glass and noise. Hannah grimaced and Snape walked in. Ron nearly broke his teeth he was gritting them so hard. What a BITCH Cho had turned out to be. He could still not believe Harry had ever liked her. As the vase came shattering to the floor Ron was already past the Gryffindor table and heading towards Hannah but Neville hand caught his arm.  
"Not wise my friend." Neville said but Ron glared at him. "Don't. You don't need to get involved."  
"Hell if I don't." Ron shouted and raced after her. But not before stopping in front of Cho. "Get a life you egotistical shrew."  
  
Hannah had made to the girl's lavatory before she started the heart- wrenching sobs. They came out that she could barely breathe. She pulled off toilet paper and began to blow her nose when she heard the door open. Quickly she stopped her crying and listened. Suddenly her door opened and stood Ronald Weasley.  
"Hey." He said and Hannah gave a weak smile. Gathering her wad of toilet paper that was now dragging the ground she sniffed.  
"She broke that beautiful vase...and those flowers...they were so pretty..."Hannah whimpered. Ron walked into the stall and gathered the girl into his arms and kissed her forehead.  
"Don't worry about the flowers. I am sure they are fine. Everyone loves Snape's dungeon." He said, she giggled into his sweater vest. "Better?" He asked, looking up at him she smiled shyly.  
"Thanks. I look a mess don't I?" She asked smoothing her hair, or at least the best she could.  
"You're beautiful...so very beautiful." Ron whispered as he took her lips into a kiss. Her unshed tears fell on his cheeks.  
"I—I—"She tried but no words would come. "I'm glad you came after me." Hannah said.  
"Me too." Ron replied smiling at her. Hannah smiled tears still falling; Ron looked at her and met her eyes. "How about we go to lunch now? The class is at lunch by now and we can go by the dungeons and get our things." He said and Hannah nodded and they walked from the girl's lavatory to the dungeons. Ron pushed open the large black door and walking in, Ron went to the front to grab his book bag and books. As he walked to where Hannah had sat, in the back, he saw her leaned down to where the glass and roses still lay, in a beautiful mass of pink.  
"I should clean this up." Hannah said as she picked up one of the roses. It was still closed and had small glass shards on it, taking it in her hand she brushed the petals softly and held the flower to her heart.  
"I'll help you." Ron said leaning down he started picking up the glass shards but was not paying one wit of attention and as he picked up a larger shard the sharpest end went right into his hand.  
"Fuck." Ron snapped as he grabbed his hand as the blood began to gush. As he began the spurts of curses he saw Hannah flinched back from him. Then she finally noticed when the blood started to drip onto the floor.  
"What happened? Never mind I know. Sit down." Hannah said as she led him to a chair. Settling him down, she took the hand into her own and pulled open the cut. Ron winced and eyed her. "Sorry. But I need to see how deep it is. You may need to see Madam Pomfrey." She said as she started, and tried, to clean the wound. "You are coming with me to my room. I have a first-aid kit my mother gave me."  
"All right." Ron said jumping up from the chair and, with his good hand, grabbed her arm. "Ready?" He asked as she grabbed her bag. Laughing she took his hand and they walked to the Portrait Hole of Hufflepuff.  
"Lemon drop." Hannah said and the portrait swung open. "Here we are. My room is just upstairs. Hold on and I will take you." Setting down her bag, she walked back to him and led him up to a room that held a bed, chest of drawers, and a small window.  
"You don't have the devil stairs?" Ron asked. Hannah looked at him with a confused look and he laughed. "In fifth year we tried to go get Hermione. Well let's just say that the stairs KNOW that you are male and straighten out and I nearly killed Harry." Ron said and he laughed.  
"We have those. But for the main dormitories. There are a few separate rooms and since I really don't—I decided on a single room." Hannah said pulling open a drawer and revealing the first-aid kit. She opened it and walked to where Ron had taken a seat. Kneeling she took the hand and began to clean it with alcohol. It burned and Ron hissed out his breath and Hannah apologized, "No worries. I bet it will feel better without all the blood caked around it." She continued cleaning and then went to bandaging. She wrapped the white gauze on the cut and after a few layers she cut it and laid it on the outer part of his hand.  
"Better?" Hannah asked. Ron lifted his hands and flexed his fingers. He could still feel them so he took that as a good sign and nodded.  
"Thank you. If you hadn't been there I would have surely bled to death." Ron said touching her cheek. Hannah sighed and smiled. Standing she moved to the window. She watched students pour out of the school. That meant classes were over for the day. They had missed the last of potions and lunch. What was everyone going to think? Then she remembered...the Hufflepuffs would be back to the common room soon.  
"You need to leave. Right now." Hannah said rushing from her room. Ron ran after her and with his good hand caught her waist and spun her to him.  
"Why? What is the rush?" Ron asked as he pulled her closer. Hannah tried to pull away but he was stronger and taller than she was and she couldn't.  
"You must." Hannah said as she finally pulled away rushing to put her bag in her room. She couldn't have him found here. She didn't need the torment.  
"No. Not until I get an explanation. You were all about to kiss me...or I you and then you command me to leave?" Ron asked.  
"Well aren't we sure of ourselves? How do you know I was going to kiss you? Maybe I should just smack you right now." Hannah snapped crossing her arms.  
"I would like to see you try." Ron said as he went to her in two steps gathered her in his arms and lowered his head. Hannah sucked in a breath as his lips met hers. She should have and would have pulled away if she didn't have the strongest feelings for him. And she knew he knew.  
"I thought as much." Ron said with a smug arrogance about him. Hannah's eyes were wide and her hand came up and connected with his cheek.  
"I want you gone. Now." Hannah said her breath heaving. Ron only nodded and left. Hannah sunk to the floor and tears flew freely and she knew that she had fallen in love. Why it had to be him and right now was beyond her.  
  
Ron walked back to the common room of Gryffindor and threw his book bag across the room cursing himself. He knew, knew, that Hannah would never forgive him. He should have never kissed her, and in her room nonetheless. She was an innocent and he knew he had to take it slow for the fear of scaring her and he would rather die than see her scared and that is what scared him most of all. Wanting to die for a woman that he barely knew but had fallen in love with. Love. A word that he never in his life wanted or needed until this moment. Cursing he tossed a glass that had been settled on his bedside. Neville walked in and saw the state that Ron had out their room.  
"Are you all right mate?" He asked and Ron shook his head and Neville realized it was going to take more than asking to nudge this out of him. "Want to talk about it?" He asked, Ron only looked up at him. His blue eyes clouded.  
"No." Was his answer and Neville left it alone.  
  
The three snuck from their rooms as instructed and headed to the Great Hall where they were to meet with Dumbledore and meet their newest member. Stepping into the Great Hall the only noise you could hear were Pansy's boot heels clicking. All three wore black, hoping to conceal them. Walking up to where Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Black and Lupin were aligned they walked to were four chairs were seated and each took one. Looking up at Dumbledore the meeting began.  
"I believe you know why you are here." He spoke and they all nodded pulling out the crest that dubbed them part of the secret organization that protected the school.  
"A new member? You think that it is necessary?" Blaise asked. Dumbledore nodded. Turning to McGonagall she began to speak.  
"We believe that someone may know about one or all of you being part of the organization and a new member would bring new blood. She is very professional. She is capable of handling herself in any danger and has been trained by Snape himself. Being Muggle-born she has learned the art of fighting. Pansy you would be amazed at what she can do. Not as good as you I assure you but just as capable." McGonagall explained.  
"You're not talking about—"Draco began. Dumbledore only put up a hand. Draco almost stood but he didn't.  
"No. It is not Miss Granger. She is why we need the newest member. She needs to be protected. This was the one person I trusted with this." Dumbledore spoke. Just then the doors opened and walked in a blonde, short hair, crimped. Wearing pointed toe boots, tight jeans and a black sweater she walked up to stand behind Dumbledore.  
"Abbott?" Blaise asked startled. Hannah smiled as she pushed back hair that had fallen in her face.  
"Yes. All think I am small, shy, and not capable of taking care of myself, example the incident at Hogsmeade, but I am not really like that. I have been working for the Order since I started at Hogwarts. I was placed as keeper of Harry Potter but was replaced when Lupin started at the school third year that is when I started protecting Ronald Weasley. Tough job I assure you. Now I have been offered to protect Hermione Granger. Apparently Master Malfoy is once again out to kill the Motley Trio. And it is our job to stop it." Hannah told the three.  
"You will be placed with one of the three. Blaise will handle Weasley and Draco, Potter." Dumbledore told them.  
"Mrs. Parkinson is to watch Ginevra Weasley. We don't know if she is in any real danger but being a Weasley we want to make sure." Snape said. "No one is to know of this. You are to keep up normal appearances at school unless on mission. Pansy and Hannah have the Forbidden Forest in both the mornings and evenings to practice and gentlemen have the Hall at afternoons during classes and at evenings. You will not have any homework for the next two months or until told to do." He finished.  
  
Potions began bright and early the next morning. A four-house class which filled the dungeons to near breaking point. They were broken into groups of three to make the Forgetful potion. Many noted the absence of both Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy. Starting on the potion most did not finish when it came time to clean up and fill a vile to turn in. Snape being aggravated by this gave all a nine-page essay on the potion including the first wizard to use the potion, make the potion, and first to have it used on. Groaning and slamming of textbooks occurred but were ignored when class was dismissed.  
"I cannot believe he did that! My potion was perfect—our potion." Hermione said shoving her books into her bag. Ron watched Hannah leave and then turned back to shove his books into his bag.  
"I'll be right back." Ron said rushing out of the room. Chasing Hannah down the hallway he caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder turning her around.  
"Can I help you Mr. Weasley? I must stress that I have to get to class." Hannah said coldly.  
"Hannah—I'm sorry." He said. Hannah snorted and ran a hand through her hair. Turning cold brown eyes on him she only shook her head.  
"You always are. Why don't you go tell someone who cares." Hannah said, taking his hand from her shoulder she walked away. Ron cursed himself. Why in the hell was she so pissed? All he did was kiss her; it wasn't like he accosted her or anything. Well at least not a lot.  
"What was that about?" Harry asked when Ron returned to where Harry and Hermione stood near the dungeons entrance.  
"Nothing. Let's just go." Ron said as he stalked away. Walking outside they set down their things down on the new snow that had just fallen and took a seat on one of the benches that wasn't already filled. Their next two-class period, which was Herbology, was canceled since the snow had frozen the classroom and Professor Sprout had to defrost their plants. So they pulled out their potions books and started work on the essay.  
"I am never going to finish nine pages." Harry grumbled. Hermione laughed. "But we all know you will plus extra." Smiling she started to write.  
"You could ask Sirius, he'll know." Hermione said. Just then they watched Draco and Blaise walk up to Hannah Abbott and pass her something, a box of some sort, and whisper something to her. Hannah then walked up to Pansy, apparently transferring information.  
"What do you think they are up too?" Harry asked setting aside his books. Hermione looked up with eyes wide.  
"No. It is none of your business." Hermione said but Ron and Harry were already standing. "No. No. No. You are not going to follow her." She said but they had already started after her. Hermione jumped up and followed. "Don't leave me. I have more brains than either one of you. I need to make sure you don't get your silly necks into any trouble."  
  
"What do you mean?" Hannah screamed at Dumbledore. "You cannot and will not bring Dementors into this school. Not again. Do you not remember what happened last time you allowed that? They nearly killed Harry on the Pitch." She yelled Pansy stepped forward.  
"You need to remember that the mission calls for us to actually travel to Azkaban and ask for these Dementors? Why us?" She asked.  
"The men have been out far more and you two are the only ones that I can trust. Plus the men need to watch their contacts. I have placed Lupin and Black in charge of yours until you return. Which should be during dinner if you leave now. I have told your teachers and they will have notes for you in the morning." Dumbledore said releasing him. As they walked out of him office they ran into the trio.  
"Hello Hannah." Ron said bowing slightly. Her eyes went cold, her back stiffened and lips went into a straight line.  
"If you will excuse us gentlemen, Hermione, we are busy and are expected somewhere." Pansy said pushing past Ron and Hannah followed.  
"They are sure dressed weird." Hermione said. Both were dressed in black, high heels on both and had a strange broach they wore on their collar.  
"I wonder where they are headed." Harry asked. Ron smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Invisibility cloak?" He asked, as they turned to follow and hand fell onto Harry's shoulder.  
"I would like to see you in my office Weasley, Potter, Granger." Dumbledore said and all three faces dropped.  
  
Dinner was interrupted when Pansy Parkinson and Hannah Abbott returned to the school. Most didn't notice or care but at the Gryffindor table three knew that something was not of the ordinary was going on and they wanted to figure out exactly what it was.  
"She's hiding something. Both are. We just need to figure out what." Hermione said. Pulling out a piece of parchment she scribbled something down and handed it to Neville. Nodding he wrote back and she placed it in her pocket. "Neville will corner Pansy tonight and see what he can find out. I will see what I can razzle out of Malfoy. Since Hannah won't speak to Ron we have nothing there." She explained.  
"It's not my fault." Ron pouted. "She won't speak to me for some reason." Rubbing his hands together Hermione knew that he was lying.  
  
"Where are you going? And so late at night?" Neville asked stepping from the shadows of the Great Hall as she passed by him. Jumping back she had pulled her dagger and was holding it on him but when she noticed who it was she replaced it.  
"You have no business being here." She snapped as she slung her braid behind her. Neville laughed.  
"And neither do you. I know you are hiding something and I want to know what it is and what it has to do with your bodyguards and Abbott." Neville said advancing on her. Pansy stepped back.  
"None of your goddamn business Mr. Longbottom. Maybe I should hex you and get it over with." Hannah said pulling her wand on him and holding it at him. Neville's eyes widened and she smiled. "Thought as much. If the trio wants to know what we are doing so badly why aren't they here? Why are you?" She asked holding the wand at his cheek. "I would leave. Not say one word of this and pretend you never saw us." Pulling her wand down from him she pointed it at the door to the Great Hall.  
"I'm not leaving. Not until I know." He said. Stepping forward Hannah once again turned the wand on him.  
"Won't help if you are dead." She replied. Neville stepped back from her and smiled at her.  
"I'm not leaving." He repeated. Hannah groaned and was going to full Body-Bind him when Ron came from behind her and stole her wand but was kicked square in the jaw when Pansy back flipped into him and Hannah took out Harry with her right leg.  
"What the HELL!" Ron shouted as he rubbed his head. Hannah pulled him up by his collar.  
"Get you arse out of here right now. You don't need to be here." Hannah said. Just then the lights turned on and Dumbledore stood at the doorway with Hermione who had shocked look on her face.  
"The Dementors are in the school. We need to wake the entire school." Dumbledore told them and Pansy cursed out loud.  
  
"We can't find Ginevra Weasley Headmaster." One prefect told him and he nodded. This could not get to the Zabini boy.  
"Thank you. I want you to send Abbott and Parkinson out to look for her. I want them equipped with protective spells, is that understood? If they are not back in 20 minutes I will send in Black and Lupin. I have called the Order and they will be here in a matter of minutes." Dumbledore told the prefect who then went to Abbott and Parkinson.  
"We understand. We will have her back in no time. Weasley and Zabini cannot find out about this." Pansy told the prefect. He nodded and went back to his house.  
"We better get out of here before they notice." Hannah said and they snuck out with out so much as a noise from the other houses. Walking down the hallway the two stayed close together just in case and then broke apart to check out different places in the castle. Hannah went to the Gryffindor Tower and spoke the password, the portrait swung up and she walked in. Seeing nothing she started up the stairs that led to the girl's dormitories.  
"Ginevra?" Hannah called out but there was no response. Moving to the boy's dormitories she took the stairs two at a time and stepped into the room she suspected Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley of sharing. She stepped over clothes that were slung around the room. Looking out the window that was near Harry's bed she spotted someone...with blond hair. Turning quickly she ran from Gryffindor heading to Slytherin, as she ran she spotted Harry Potter running down the hall opposite her. "Harry!" She shouted and he ran to her. "Where are you going? It's dangerous. You are supposed to be in the Great Hall." She said and Harry grabbed her hand and shoved her into a corner.  
"You aren't looking for Ginevra Weasley any longer. You have to help me find Luna. She ran from the Great Hall about twenty minutes after I saw you and Pansy leave. Pansy found Ginny, hiding from the Dementors, they had gone after her when she got lost when the students began to run when they found out about the Dementors." Harry said. Hannah looked at him and the worry in his eyes.  
"All right, I'll help you. I saw someone out your window when I went to check Gryffindor; the person was a woman with blonde hair heading for the Forbidden Forest. It must be Luna." Hannah said and they ran to the back of the school and headed past Hagrid's hut into the Forbidden Forest. Pulling his wand Harry held it at the forest.  
"Lumos!" The wand's tip began to shine and they walked into the dark forest. It then began to turn very cold. The Dementors knew someone was in the forest. Luna.  
"We have to find her and now." Hannah said as she pulled her wand. Harry turned his head quickly when a branch behind them cracked. "Someone's here."  
"We need to hurry." Harry said as they picked up pace. They were quiet but knew that Luna had to be close, as they moved through the forest they followed the cold air that seemed to indicate where Luna was. "It dropped a few degrees. This way." Harry pointed to the north, they saw the air chill, icicles started to form on the branches of the trees above them. They walked for about five minutes when they heard a whimper close to them. They started to run in the direction of the sound and soon enough they spotted a small figure on the ground. Pale blonde hair was astray as Luna Lovegood lay on the forest floor, her pale eyes opened and fluttered to Harry's face.  
"Hi." She whispered and whimpered again. They looked down and spotted it. A tree had fallen on Luna; it had crushed both her legs. She lay still and would not move, looking to her right she spotted Hannah, squatted by the tree.  
"We need to move it. I will get it off. You move Luna." Hannah said. Moving back some she lifted her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The tree lifted a few feet off the ground and Luna's legs. Harry dragged her away from the tree and Hannah let the tree fall and ran to where Harry and Luna where. Together she and Harry lifted her and Luna put her weight on both. Holding Luna they began to make their way back when they heard another tree limb crack not three feet from them.  
"Someone has followed us." Hannah whispered and Harry nodded, Luna began to murmur to herself as they began to walk again.  
"I know who it is." She said and Harry looked at her. Turning she pointed away from her to a figure that jumped from tree to tree.  
"What is that?" Harry said trying to get a better look; he saw it move closer and closer to where they stood. "Walk." Luna said digging her nails into Harry's back, they started up again; the castle was now in their sights. "It won't come near you if you move, walking, running, however you move, it won't come near you." Harry looked back and saw it at the tree to his right; turning back he looked at Luna. "What is it Luna?" Luna looked up at Harry and smiled. "It is a Tresben. Voldemort has sent them. They are afraid of both light and movement. No one can see them in the daylight, they are there, but you can't see them. They hunt at night, and show up silver in the moonlight. They are like Dementors but they're not. They kill on whim and feed on blood. Any blood. Human or animal. That is why we have to keep moving." Luna explained. They stepped into the sights of the school and into the lights that surrounded it and Hannah saw that the Tresben had stayed in the forest but was looking at them as they traveled to the doors. Pushing them open they first headed to the Hospital Wing. Dropping Luna off, Madam Pomfrey began to give Luna the formula to mend her bones. Then she turned to both Hannah and Harry. "I think we should get you two cleaned up. Dumbledore has set up all the children in the Great Hall, you can join them when your cuts are covered." She said and they agreed. Sitting on a bed Madam Pomfrey began to clean the cuts on both their hands and the cut Hannah had gotten from a tree limb when it had swung back and struck her in the face. Harry had cut his hands badly moving Luna from under the tree. Once there hands were covered Madam Pomfrey gave them both a change of clothes. "I think you both should go back to the Great Hall and get some sleep. I should tell you the Dementors are gone, an accident of them getting in the school. He-Should-Not-Be-Named set a trap making the Dementors think that whoever they wanted was in the school." She explained. "Will Luna be all right?" Harry asked and Madam Pomfrey laid her hand on Harry's shoulder. "Of course. Just some bone mending in her legs is all. Should be fine by morning." She said and Harry smiled. "Would it be all right if I stayed with her tonight?" Harry said and Madam Pomfrey nodded. Harry walked to where Luna now slept and pulled up a chair and sat. He took her hand in his and kissed it. Hannah smiled to herself, after a quick good bye to Madam Pomfrey she headed to the Great Hall.  
  
The Great Hall was still very loud when she stepped in, people turned from there sleeping bags when she walked in. Ron jumped up from where he was lying and ran to where she stood. Stopping in front of her he looked in her eyes. Smiling she fell into his arms for the hug that he was waiting to give her. "You scared me half to death." Ron said kissing her hair. Hannah laughed, and clung to him as he hugged her tighter. "Sorry. I had to go. Oh, I should just mention, Harry will be in the Hospital Wing tonight." Hannah said as she allowed Ron to lead her to where Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Ginevra Weasley were seated. "Are you all right?" Ginny asked pointing to the cut on her face. Hannah lifted her hand and touched the still sensitive cut. "Of course." Hannah said. Her hands were wrapped in white gauze and her cheek stung when she smiled. "Where is Harry?" Hermione asked, Hannah looked at her and smiled. "With Luna. In the Hospital Wing. She had an accident in the Forbidden Forest but nothing to worry about I assure you. Should be fine in the morning." Hannah said and allowed Ron to lay her down next to him and in a few minutes was asleep. 


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four:**

"I want you to know Luna that I will never leave you. Believe me."

Luna awoke sitting straight up in her bed. Breathing hard she covered her heart and whimpered and then without a noise Harry was at her side. He held her and she started to breathe normally again and looked up at him...he had been sleeping...had he stayed the night? She could barely remember her own name let alone what had happened the night before but she knew what had happened nothing could change that.

"Shhh...I am here. No worries." Harry whispered stroking her hair and Luna began to breathe slowly.

"Hi." Luna said and Harry laughed. Luna smiled and looked up at him, his hair was sleep-worn and his glasses askew but he was still here and that was all that mattered to Luna. Setting his glasses straight, he shifted so that he wasn't pressed against her.

"How are you feeling? OK?" Harry asked and Luna nodded. "You scared me last night." He said and Luna turned sharply to face him.

"I did?" Luna asked and Harry took her hands and shook his head. Luna never had anyone who had worried about her, her mother, but she was gone now.

"Yeah, I didn't know what I would have done if something had happened to you." Harry said.

"I didn't know anyone cared for me." Luna said and Harry took her face in his hands and held her to his eyes.

"Don't say that. I care. I always will." Harry said and Luna took his hands and kissed them and smiled at him.

"How do I know that, that is true?" Luna asked and Harry pulled her close to him and hugged her tight.

"I want you to know Luna that I will never leave you. Believe me." He kissed her softly on the lips and he lay down with her and she slept, her first full night of sleep in a very long time.

Morning broke and the word of what had happened to Luna Lovegood spread like wildfire. Dumbledore had called a meeting between his four confidants and tightened the guarding and added Luna Lovegood to the protections list, putting Sirius Black in charge of her.

"We need you to be able to watch them at all times. You know you assignments. They are to be watched. Were they go you go. I have informed all the teachers, they will help when necessary. I have placed strict orders on the Forbidden Forest which will be called at dinner but until then I want you all to know that if you see anyone going in the Forest that you should tell one of the Order immediately if not myself first." Dumbledore said and they all nodded. They left and headed to the specified charges. Breakfast began and all attended absent Potter and Lovegood who were being watched in the Hospital Wing.

"I cannot believe this is happening. What are we about to do? We don't have homework and our only job is to watch out for the Gryffindor trio and friends so they don't get their silly necks into trouble." Pansy said and Draco laughed.

"I like the no homework policy. I really do." Draco said chewing on his pancakes. Pansy glared at him and then she sighed as she watched her charge, Ginevra Weasley stand and make her excuses.

"No if you will excuse me gentlemen I have a charge to follow." Pansy said flipping her hair and stalking off.

"She really needs to sort out her priorities." Draco snorted and turned back to his juice.

Potions began with high surveillance, the Ministry had sent many Aurors to stay in classes until the end of the week, the second Hogsmeade trip, which had been planned to get the older students out so that the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw common rooms could be updated and checked for anything suspicious. The first and second years would be at a Cannon's game that Oliver set up to help. The Cannons would play Puddlemere United, as they had Fred and George Weasley as Beaters. Snape came in and ordered the homework passed up.

"Now, Mr. Weasley, were is your homework?" Snape barked and Ron jumped back and then looked at him.

"Why are you asking me when Malfoy, Parkinson and Zabini don't have it either?" Ron snapped and Snape didn't say anything for a moment.

"Turn to page 1,258 Mr. Weasley. You now have double homework for the rest of the year. There is your first assignment. Get going." Snape said. Ron's face turned red and then he stood.

"I knew it. I knew it, you are all hiding something. You think we are so stupid. But as you know we will find out. You know it and you are just waiting out the inevitable. And now I know it has to do with Hannah. I want to go see Dumbledore. Now." Ron said and Harry and Hermione stood at the end.

"Fine. I would like to see you three find out." Snape said and pointed to the door. "Remember Weasley, double homework, due tomorrow."

"You can't just shut us out! We have been saving this school for the past five bloody years!" Harry shouted.

"You don't need to know. You do fine not knowing. Christmas is coming up, you don't need to get in trouble before then." Dumbledore said.

"You can't do this to us! If there is something that is life threatening to Harry, or any of us, we should know." Ron cried.

"Step any further Mr. Weasley and I will take drastic measures and keep you locked up until Christmas." Dumbledore threatened. They left Dumbledore's office and headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts, which they were already thirty minutes later for, and headed down the corridor when Hermione stopped in her tracks grabbing onto Harry's arm to stop him as well, and Harry stopped Ron.

"What is it?" Harry asked Hermione and she shook her head and lifted a finger to her lips to signal for quiet.

"I heard something—or someone—behind us. I think we are being followed." She whispered and Harry turned to look behind Hermione but didn't see anything out of place, or anyone behind them.

"I don't see anything, what do yo think we should do?" Harry asked and Hermione shrugged her shoulders and Ron turned to face both his friends.

"Someone is following us. I can be certain. Have been for a while I suppose. I have had the feeling of being followed for some time and I don't know who is doing it." He said.

"I have had the same feelings. I haven't said anything because I don't want to be thought as going nutters but I am officially crept out." Hermione replied and Harry agreed.

"Let's just get to DADA and when we get to the common room we will figure something out." Harry said and they continued along their way and didn't even see the person behind them.

The common room was uncrowded when she snuck in, knowing what she was supposed to do; she went closer to the fire and pulled out the bag that she knew would be there. Pulling it she heard the portrait swing open and she peered over the couch and watched her past walk into the common room, slinking to the ground she heard him call out and then he picked up his stuff and took it upstairs, knowing this her only escape chance, she started to dash for the door. Running for the door, realizing that she forgot the bag, the whole reason she risked her neck to sneak in here. Turning back she went for it but was stopped.

"Anne?" A voice said. Turning she saw him at the top of the stairs. She ran. Out of the portrait hole and as fast as she could. She could hear him behind her and her name being called. She continued to run and it led her outside where students beginning to go since classes let out.

"Fred?!" She watched as Fred stopped and waved a hand and went back after her. Anne turned a sharp corner and ran into someone making her and the young man she ran into tumble to the ground. Fred caught up to her and pulled her to her feet. Looking she saw that she had run into none other than Harry Potter, who by her standards, looking exhausted.

"What are you doing here?" Fred asked turning her to look at him. She looked down and he took her chin in his hand.

"I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't, you have no control over me any longer." She said and Fred looked at her and smiled.

"I always will. And you know it. I want you to always control me." He said and Anne pulled away and ran.

"Fred?! What are you doing here? And...who was that?" Ron asked as he ran up.


End file.
